Investment solutions for wealth managers and financial intermediaries

We offer independent research and advice, discretionary investment services and, single and multi-asset funds through highly-rated third party asset managers. Our solutions span geographies, asset classes and public and private markets. We can help you build custom portfolios and identify opportunities for your clients. We can supplement your own team’s efforts and act as an extension of your team. We are flexible in how we work with you and we adapt our services to meet your needs.

Common challenges faced by wealth managers

Investors look to their wealth managers and financial intermediaries to help them build well-diversified portfolios, to help them source and access high-quality asset managers and strategies, increasingly invest in a sustainable manner, monitor risks and manage overall investment costs.

Building and managing investment portfolios takes time, precision and focus. For wealth managers and financial intermediaries, there are a range of additional challenges that limit their time to providing exceptional service to clients. These include sourcing and selecting traditional and private market opportunities from a global universe, integrating and monitoring environmental, sustainability and governance (ESG) considerations, managing operational demands and costs, competitor differentiation and navigating complex regulatory environments.

Leveraging our extensive research, advice and implementation services and range of investment solutions, we can help you build portfolios that are designed to deliver future growth. Below are five benefits of working with us to help you achieve your investment goals.Investors look to their wealth managers and financial intermediaries to help them build well-diversified portfolios, to help them source and access high-quality asset managers and strategies, increasingly invest in a sustainable manner, monitor risks and manage overall investment costs.

Building and managing investment portfolios takes time, precision and focus. For wealth managers and financial intermediaries, there are a range of additional challenges that limit their time to providing exceptional service to clients. These include sourcing and selecting traditional and private market opportunities from a global universe, integrating and monitoring environmental, sustainability and governance (ESG) considerations, managing operational demands and costs, competitor differentiation and navigating complex regulatory environments.

Leveraging our extensive research, advice and implementation services and range of investment solutions, we can help you build portfolios that are designed to deliver future growth. Below are five benefits of working with us to help you achieve your investment goals.

Five factors that could impact investment outcomes

  1. High-quality asset managers and strategies
    Comprehensive and impartial research can help you identify high-quality asset managers and strategies. Our team of dedicated research professionals can act as an extension of your in-house expertise. We conduct extensive forward-looking research on investment asset managers, across public and private markets globally and we can provide you with holistic and sound insights to support your investment decisions. You can review existing asset managers, or choose new ones based on your preferred criteria.
  2. Robust and well-managed risk framework
    You can leverage external specialists or use a proprietary platform like Mercer's to help you monitor your existing portfolio performance, harness new investment opportunities more quickly and access reporting and insights to provide better informed investment decisions.
  3. Reinforced governance and oversight
    Your clients expect prompt execution of investment ideas and a robust risk management framework. Our dedicated and experienced teams can help you achieve this. Our infrastructure and risk management framework and tools allow you to monitor a portfolio’s performance and the drivers of that performance. You can leverage the insights and reporting to provide effective, timely communications to your clients and guide their decision-making.
  4. Integrate ESG considerations
    Integrating sustainability into portfolios remains high on the agenda for most investors. In addition to the environment and climate factors, some place a high importance on integrating DEI factors or are looking to make a broader impact to society. We can support you and your clients in defining, executing and monitoring your sustainable investing objectives.
  5. Reducing your administrative burden
    Managing investment portfolios comes with significant operational burden that take time away from your core focus, your clients and meeting their investment objectives. Our extensive range of investment services could help you reduce your administrative burden and free up more time to spend delivering on your clients’ investment wishes. We are flexible and have developed our services to suit your needs, by either supplementing some of your work, or working as an extension of your in-house team.

Why wealth managers choose to work with us

Wealth managers and financial intermediaries come to us as a gateway to a wider universe of investment opportunities. Our products and services contain a range of core building blocks fit for the full range of client portfolios and risk profiles. We have expertise across geographies, asset classes, public and private markets, and can help you offer quality investments to your clients.

  • Impartiality 

    Our independent global research covers a wide range of managers spanning every asset class, including private and illiquid portfolios. We select managers based on a combination of qualitative and quantitative analysis and our assessment is forward looking.

  • Functionality 

    Our strong operational investments platform and tested continuity plans means that you are better placed to respond to market challenges and ensure that even in times of crises, you are still able to provide your clients with the same level of services.

  • Flexibility 

    We understand that wealth managers and financial intermediaries have a wide range of challenges and priorities and are well equipped to support you through the breath of our capabilities and our flexible operating model.

     

  • Cost efficiency

    Our heritage as an institutional investment consultant means we have the scale to negotiate on manager fees. This allows us to construct and implement portfolios, designed by our strategy and asset allocation specialists, while passing any savings directly onto you.

  • ESG expertise

    We have extensive ESG experience and can leverage our investment services, solutions and products to help fulfil the needs of your own client base. We can also develop, execute and monitor a strategy specifically for you and your clients.

  • Individuality

    We know that every business is different, so we tailor our services to suit your overall objectives. We work with you to understand what you are trying to achieve and present you with a choice of solutions that make sense for your objectives.

Top considerations for financial intermediaries in 2023

Download our paper to learn more about the top considerations that we believe will help advisors and their clients navigate portfolios in 2023 and beyond.
Download report

How we supplement your investment and research capabilities

Amit Popat, Partner and International Business Leader details the ways we can flex to support your in-house research function.

Investment solutions to suit your needs

  • Implementation and OCIO

    We can help you define, develop and implement your investment strategy by addressing areas such as governance, risk, sustainability and diversification. We flex our services to suit your needs and help you achieve your investment goals.

  • Sustainable investments 

    We help you build a sustainable investment strategy that integrates environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations; diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) factors and seeks an optimal mix between positive change and favorable returns.

  • Alternative investments

    Leveraging our existing relationships with hundreds of asset managers around the world, we can help you identify and source new investment strategies, opportunities, ideas and innovations across private markets and hedge funds. 

  • Strategic research 

    Become a member of the MercerInsight® Community today to get access to strategic research from hundreds of thought leaders around the world, including Mercer and third-party publishers. It’s complimentary and easy to join.

  • Asset manager research 

    By subscribing to MercerInsight®, an alliance with eVestment, you can gain access to data, analytics and our forward-looking research on asset managers and thousands of investment strategies across both public and private markets. 

  • Managing investment risk

    Our Mercer Sentinel team can help you conduct due diligence and mitigate operational risks across your portfolios and strategies. We assess asset managers, custodians and other service providers to help you deliver on your governance objectives.

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    17.3T

    US$17.3 trillion in global assets under advisement

    415B

    US$415.3 billion in global assets under management

    12K+

    More than 12,400 investment strategies rated

    7K+

    More than 7,000 asset managers rated

    Find out how we can help you achieve your investment goals

    1. As at 30 June 2022
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